Is it the end of the road for Brian Lara?

Hyderabad: Former West Indian skipper Brian Lara's career may have come to an end with the elegant left-hander being ruled out of the ongoing Indian Cricket League (ICL) with a persistent shoulder injury.

Lara, the leading run scorer in Test cricket, suffered the injury - a fracture to his left shoulder - earlier this year and will perhaps never again be able to play the game for a prolonged period.

''Brian Lara now has a permanent problem on his left shoulder and will never be able to play the game actively and therefore is unlikely to play for ICL in future as well,'' ICL business head Himanshu Mody was quoted as saying by Cricket Next.

Lara allegedly sustained the injury during a Carib Beer match on January 20 after being struck by a delivery from Lionel Baker.

Lara was playing for the Mumbai Champs in the second edition of the ICl which got underway here yesterday.